Air pressure flushing gun



April 23, 1935. s. M. MATTICH AIR PRESSURE FLUSHING GUN Filed June 22, 1935 Arroewey Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to air pressure flushing guns, and has for its principal object to provide a hand tool comprising an elongated shell of metal whose lower end has connected thereto a short metal tube. for receiving from said shell a strong shot of compressed air or gas, and the shell is provided therein with a cylindrical pump de-' vice, suspended from the upper end thereof, and means external of the latter for manually operating the piston within the cylinder as a force pump, to surcharge the air in the shell, while suitable valve connection is made between the small tube and the shell, to' prevent outflow from the latter until such valve connection is broken, as by'manual actuation by a stem operated by mechanical force, from a lever adjacent the handle connected with the pump piston.

It is an especial advantage of my novel construction that my interior pump device mounted within the shell referred to, may compress the air therein to so great extent, that the outwardly directed shot of compressed air from the gun, when the valve is released, will be forced therethrough by the said compression. My detailed structure 25 for accomplishing these favorable results will be fully explained in certain of the following pages. My complex gun is designed to suddenly shoot a directed blow of compressed air therefrom upon manual release of the delivery valve.

My novel tool is peculiarly efiective in opening clogged pipes wherever they exist, and do so without positioning the body of the tool closely adjacent the obstruction or stoppage. It is effective in removing clogged conditions in auto radiators,-'for clearing supply water pipes and gas lines for shackle bolts, and lubrication by inserting grease in the stem of the gun thereby discharging instantly to give suflicient force to the blow. In fact, the character of nozzle used at the outlet *of the gun may be varied to use as a sprayer, and for practically all conditions of plumbing where there are closed pipes not normally, released.

The release or delivery valve used is sufiiciently delicate to effect a very positive closure when desired, and I have therefore included in my Structure an improved trigger lever upon the outer position of and upon the upper end of the gun cylinder, where ,manual --and sudden release against the normal pressure of the valve for release of same, may be readily applied. Such manual release of the valve actuator includes a bracket mechanism for mounting therein a suitable fulcrum for pivoting said lever for movement 9 55 in the plane of the bracket, and permitting actuation of the lever and thereby upward pulling of the connection with the release valve, to apply suddenly the gas or air stroke through the valve by lifting the valve off its seat, later to be further explained.

It is an especial object of my pressure gun that the piston valve of the pump shall be strong and efiective to enable the user to compress the air in the outer shell to a high degree of compression which with my efiective structure may be as high as 75 to 90 pounds per square inch, as indicated on the scale of a pressure gage. This high compression in the said shell makes still more necessary an effective means of operation for the release valve in the short tube leading out from the shell as shown and hereafter described.

It is a general object of my invention to improve the several elements of the same, so that there shall result an especially effective coordination between the force pump, the outer shell, the efficient trigger mechanism for the release and their assemblage for manual cooperation as needed. To this end 'I have hereinafter described the structure of the mechanism for its useful and novel purposes, claimed the parts and combinations for which I desire Letters Patent, and which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my pressure 'gun, certain parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the shell together with the discharge nozzle, certain parts of the upper end of the tool being shown in elevation, and the plane of the section being atan angle to that in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the upper end of the tool;

Figure 4 is a detail central section on an enlarged scale, of the lower end of the pump cylinder and valve tube leading therefrom;

Figure 5 is a transverse section in an enlarged scale, of the valve and associated parts of the connection of the discharge tube with the bottom of the outer shell;

Figure 6 is a transverse section of the nozzle connection, taken in the plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and

Figure '7 is an elevational detail of the connection of the nozzle cup with the shell, the cup being shown in inverted position.

The numeral 5 designates an elongated outer cylindrical shell having certain openings in the ends for-connections with operating parts and having an imperforate side wall. The upper end 6 of said shell 5 is provided with a relatively larger opening 1 for mounting a pump cylinder 8 therethrough of which'the lower end 9 normally is positioned in spaced relation from the lower end ID of the outer shell 5. The upper end II of the cylinder 8 will ordinarily rise above the head 6 and be held thus by the provision of a sleeve nut |2 engaging the edges of the opening 1. a

Within said cylinder 8 a piston I3 is mounted for reciprocation by the plunger rod |4 whose upper end extends through a central opening l5 in a closure cap l6 detachably mounted by threading upon the upper 'end II, the exterior end of said rod |4 being provided with a cross actuating handle IT, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This piston I3 is shown in special detail in Fig. 4 in which centrally apertured washers l8 and I9 are shown mounted in spaced relation on a short reduced lower end 20 of the plunger rod M, a

cup washer 2| serving as space means and comprising the peripheral rim 22 which suitably fits the inner surface of the sidewall of the cylinder 8.

The metal washer I8 is fitted upwardly against the shoulder 23 of the rod, and the lower washer I9 is also of metal and its flanged periphery 24 is sufiiciently smaller to readily permit the rim of the washer 2| to hug the wall surface outside the metal flange loosely on the up stroke of the piston, but tightly on the down or force stroke, as will be clear.

Below the flanged metal washer I9 is mounted a centrally apertured and flanged metal plate 25 whose flanges are much longer than the flanges 24 and thereby shapes the plate as a U- shaped band whose aperture receives therein the threaded end 26 upon which the nut 21 is threaded to hold the parts 8 to 21 inclusive properly assembled on the rod H for reciprocation therewith by manual actuation, as will be evident. It will thus result that the up-stroke of the rod and its piston, will serve to permit air to pass the piston in a downwardly direction since the .rim 22 will tend to contact the flange 24 of washer |9, while on the downward stroke of the piston, no air will pass the piston because no leakage will exist about the flange 24. The piston l3 may continue downwardly until the legs 28' of the plate 25 strike a centrally-apertured plate 29 at the bottom of the cylinder 8, said aperture being threaded to receive therein the threaded tip or reduced .end 30 of a cylindrical valve holder 3| which latter is provided with a longitudinal opening 32 to permit passage of air under compression therethrough by the pumping action.

Said holder 3| is, provided with a suitable packing 33, a ball 34 held in the line of the opening 32, and a coil compression spring 35 normally serving to lift the ball against the opening, and whose force is overcome by the downward thrust of the air forced thereagainst by the piston on its down stroke. There results an effective force pump, the air above the piston in the cylinder being replaced by entrance thereinto at the opening IS in the cap upon the down stroke of the rod H. The successive strokes of the piston therefore, produce a continuous compression of the air in the outer shell outside the pump cylinder. No outlet from this inner chamber 36 of the shell 5 is permitted except through an escape nozzle mechanism hereinafter to be described in detail. The opening 32 is completed by insertion of a threaded sleeve 31 centrally apertured.

Above the disc l8 of the piston 3, a compression coil spring 38 is mounted on the rod I4, and serves to limit the upward movement of the piston by contact with the cap I 6, as will be underthat of the handle H. 'The structure shown represents the part 42 mounted for resisting downward thrust of the hand; and beneath such handle 42, and from one of the vertical standards 43 of the bracket 4|, I fixedly mount an extended support 44 having a transverse aperture 45 to which is pivoted one end 46 of a suitable trigger lever 41, to the intermediate part of which at an apertured protuberance 48 a vertical stem 49 is pivotally connected through the intermediacy of spaced links 50 pivoted to such pro-- tuberan'ce and the lower ends pivoted at 5| to the upper end of said stem, so that an upward- .head 6, as shown in Fig. 2, while theupper end 5'! will receive a threaded cap 58 also centrally apertured.

The upward movement of the stem 49 is limited by a sleeve 59 mounted on the stem within the shell and spaced from the threaded end 55 and secured thereon by across pin 69. At the lower end of the sleeve a flanged rim 6| extending integrally from the sleeve, is provided for receiving the downward pressure normally resulting from the compression coil spring 62 whose upper end contacts the head 6 of the shell, and the lower end resting upon said rim 6|. The normal effect of the spring is a downward thrust of the rod 49 upon the valve 52 to close it against the beveled edge 63 of the inner end 64 of an outwardly extending tube or conduit 65, whose exterior threads of the end 64 closely engage the interiorly threaded rim 66 which has been bent inwardly for the purpose.

About the smooth and lower end of the stem 49 I mount a tubular and smooth sleeve 61 which isslidable upon said stem, but will ordinarily be held against further normal movement by contact with separate external protuberances 63 fixed on the stem. Below said sleeve a centrally apertured disc 69 fits the stem accurately and rests upon the frusto-conical and centrally apertured valve member 52 before referred to. The lower end of the stem is threaded at 10 exteriorly to receive thereon a star-shaped metal nut 1| having an inner threaded socket 12 for the purpose. The periphery of the upper portion of the nut is provided with spaced vertical wingsv 13 providing troughs I4 therebetween. The lower end of the nut is formed with a dull point 15.

' It is thus seen that the member 52 may be adjusted axially upon the stem 49 by rotation of the nut H on the threaded end 10, while the tube 65 may be adjusted in the inner rim 66 by rotating the tube, a packing 16 being compressed by a flange I1.

Since the parts 64, 65, 66, 16 and IT provide so effective a connection between the conduit 65 and the nozzle opening of the bottom l6, it is quite clearly seen that the connection between the interior 36 of the shell and the cup 16 or its equivalent mounted on the lower end of the said conduit, will be ,very positive and almost absolute. It is further evident that the single opening from the end III is ailorded by this connection, and the flow of air or other gases through saidconduit will'be controlled by the rise of the valve member 52 against the pressure of the,

spring 62.

Eiiicient means will be employed to mount this cup 18 or other form of cup-shaped device for the lower end of the conduit 65, preferably adjustably thereon,-the particular element to be employed to direct the force of the blow struck through the tube 65-when thevalve 52 is opened, being more or less inconsequential, so far as the main invention is concerned, and which includes rather, the very positive actuation of the valve,-

and the very delicate valve I have found especially valuable for the function required. This requirement is necessary because the very high degree of compression intended to be attained inthe cavity 36 is difficult to oppose, unless a positive means of actuating the valve is used.

A suggestive form of cup 18 here shown, is provided with a threaded sleeve 19 upon which the central opening 86 of the cup is molded, for adjustably engaging the threaded end 6| of the conduit, a nut 82 limited in its upward movement by the annulus 83 thereabove, Fig.. 7 of the drawing illustrates the cup in inverted position on the conduit 65. It is by no means to be under stood that the cup member 18 is essential, or that in many cases it will be found even desirable, but it is shownas a suggestive adaptation for some uses.

The mounting of the part 18 here shown for detachable connection on the tube 65, including the end 8| permits as one adaptation, a connection of a tube having an end having inner threads for receiving a smaller tubular member thereon, either within said cup 18 or mounted after removing the cup member 18, the smaller member permitting entrance thereof within an opening to be cleared, by release of said pressure through the tube 65, by a sudden force exerted by the high pressure in cavity 36, by which such so-called knock-out force through parts 65 and such detachable tubular member very efiectively clears the passage to be opened, through the tool including the parts 5, 65 and said thrust connection by the actuated valve 52 normally closed by force exerted down upon the edge 63 of the tube 65, above explained. a

It is therefore to be understood-that the 'pump l3 may be actuated by the handle l'l, while the handle 42 will remain stationary and serving merely to resist thepalni. of the operator's hand to render eil'ective the gripping force of the,

the air pressure through the conduit 65 and thence outward through the tube attachedthereon, as above explained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:- 1. An air pressure clearance device including a hollow elongated shell having apertured.

ends, a pump cylinder extending through one of said apertures and suspended therefrom within the shell, a manually actuated piston mounted for reciprocation in said cylinder, a ball valve normally closing the inner end of said cylinder and opened outwardly by air pressure exerted by said piston, the lattercomprising a pressure valve normally opening upon the up-stroke of the piston and exerting downward pressure by the down-stroke, a normally closed valve mounted in an aperture in the end of the shell opposite the pump, and actuating means for the last mentioned valve to open the same and including a stem having one end attached to the latter valve and the opposite end of the stem movably connected outside the shell, a manually operated member connected to said outer end of the stem, a compression spring connected to said stem within the shell and adjacent one end of the latter for actuating the valve connectedto saidstem.

2. An air pressure clearance device including a hollow' elongated shell having apertured ends, a pump cylinder extending through one of said apertures and suspended therefrom within the shell, manually actuated means for operating said pump, a pressure conduit detachably connected in an aperture of an end of the shell opposite the pump, a conical valve seated upon the inner end of said conduit, an actuating stern connected with said conduit valve and its opposite end extending through the shell and closure means for an aperture opposite the conduit, a bracket mounted on the shell adjacent said closure means, a lever pivoted in said bracket and connected to the outer end of the stem for manually opening the conical valve, and a spring mounted withinthe shell and on the stem for opposing the force of the lever.

3. A device of the character described comprising a shell having imperforate side walls and apertured ends, a pump cylinder extending through one of said apertures and suspended therefrom within the shell and having an out- I let communicating with the interior of the shell, a pressure conduit mounted in an aperture in 'an end of the shell opposite the pump and havspring, a levermounted;transverse of the stemand-pivoted theretowhereby the lever may be manually actuated to oppose the spring and open the valve.

4. An air pressure gun comprising a hollow shell having apertured ends, a force pump including a cylinder having an apertured head extending outside through one of the ape'rtures of said shell of the gun, a piston rod movable through said aperture of said cylinder head and having on its inner end a piston for reciprocation in said cylinder, a valve carried by said piston resiliently controlled to permit down new of air on the up stroke of the rod and piston, and pressure flow of air beneath thepiston on the down stroke thereof, the lower end-of the pump cylinder having an aperture centrally threaded to receive therein the reduced external threaded upper end of a hollow cylinder whose entire axis is longitudinally apertured, and said main aperture of the hollow cylinder having therein av ball closure normally raised by a pressure coil spring into closing action of said aperture, but releasing the ball closure by downward pressure thereagainst of out-flowing air from the pump cylinder, thereby increasing the pressure in the inner cavity of the shell, a reciprocating valve mounted in an aperture in the head of the shell opposite thrust outward of said pressure in the shell.

5. A device of the character described comprising a compression shell for storing compressed air, a pump connected with said shell and having an outlet communicating with the interior of said shell, manually actuated means for reciprocating a piston in the cylinder of said pumlna pressure conduit detachably mounted in an aperture in an end of the shell opposite the pump, a conical valve seated upon the inner end of said conduit, a ball valve normally closing the inner end of said cylinder and opened outwardly by air pressure exerted by said piston, an actuating stem connected with said conduit valve and its opposite end extending through the shell, lever means mounted adjacent the upper end of the pump piston means and pivoted to said stem for actuating said conduit valve, and a spring mounted within the shell and on the stem for opposing the force of the lever.

STEPHEN M. MA'I'I'ICH. 

